Easter is a holiday that you often buy too much food for celebrations that results in waste. You buy gifts that are not eco-friendly and some are bad for the your health. Easter baskets for the kids and adults ring in sales for retailers. on this holiday.
The plastics used in making Easter baskets, toys, plastic eggs, and filler for baskets is not good for the environment or your health. Candy the main focus of Easter baskets is a treat in moderation but too much sugar has been linked to illness. This year try to institute some changes and add some sustainable practices to your Easter celebration.
A Brief History of Easter
Easter Bunny With Eggs Photo Source: Public Domain Pictures
The Easter Bunny
The Easter Bunny tradition arrived in the United State with German immigrants that settled in Pennsylvania. They brought their tradition of children building a nest for a bunny called Osterhase. The bunny layed colored eggs for the children in the nest for Easter. This custom spread in the United State with parents and caregivers making Easter baskets.
Parents bought Easter baskets and filled them with candy, toys and other treats telling children that the Easter Bunny would come for Easter. Some children left out carrots for the Easter Bunny the night before Easter to give them energy to hops from house to house.
Easter Eggs in Basket Photo Source PX Fuel
Easter Eggs
Eggs have been a pagan symbol of new life and the spring. Decorating eggs began in the 13th century. After Lent families painted and decorated eggs and ate them to symbolize that Lent had ended. Easter egg hunts searching for hidden eggs outdoors became popular with families. The were organized by families, churches, and community centers.
Egg rolling the act of rolling hard boiled eggs across a lawn as a contest became another popular way to celebrate Easter. Egg rolling contest were sponsored by churches, and nonprofit organizations.
Chocolate Easter Bunny Photo Source: Foodista
Easter Candy
According to retailers Easter became the second holiday for selling candy. The most popular candy for the season are chocolate egg, bunnies, jellybeans, and peeps. Jellybeans are a popular candy shaped like small eggs that come in a variety of colors. They started making jellybeans in the 1930s.
The National Confectioners Association makes over 16 billion jellybeans every year. The top selling candy is marshmallow peeps. Just Born began making and selling them by hand in the 1950's. It took workers 27 hours by hand to make the peeps because the marshmallow took a long time to cool. By 1954 they found a way to make peeps in six minutes. Peeps come made as bunnies too.
Marshmallow Peep Photo Source: En Wikipedia
Sustainable Easter Ideas for 2024
Dyeing Easter Eggs
Easter Basket and Eggs Photo Source: Pickpik
Color Easter eggs with nontoxic ingredients because its better for your health. You will find some spices, vegetables, and fruits that can be used in place of food dyes. If you decide to boil and make Easter eggs, make less this year. One egg per person is a good ratio. Use hard boiled eggs in salads and to make sandwiches.
Natural Dye Ingredients:
Frozen Blueberries make a blue colored egg
Chili Powder produces a light orange color.
Turmeric makes a bright yellow dye
Red onion skins a brown or green color
Spinach leave-green
When using vegetable skins or leaves boil the vegetable in the water to extract the color on the stove. Strain liquid into a container to dye the eggs. Do this individually for each color. When using a spice mix use 1 teaspoon of the spice in a plastic container with warm water. Boil eggs for 12 minutes before coloring. Use only white eggs as brown are hard to color.
Be careful to protect your clothing when dying eggs. Wear an apron and plastic gloves on your hands when coloring eggs. Natural Earth Paint makes an eco-friendly product for dyeing Easter Eggs. RJ Rabbit Natural Egg Dye and Color Kitchen Easter Egg Coloring Kit also make natural dyes too.
Easter Baskets
Easter Baskets Photo Source: Pixabay
Try to buy or use an ecofriendly Easter basket made of sustainable material for your children or family. Baskets made of wicker, bamboo, metal, cotton, tin, metal pails, wood or woven material can be found at stores or at flea markets. Line your baskets with wrapping paper, newspaper, or worn out dishtowels.
Fill your baskets with hard boiled eggs, wooden eggs, candy, and toys made of cloth, wood, or metal. Buy books, games, metal cookie cutters, craft kits, pencils, paper, stuffed animals, and beeswax crayons. Try less candy and place nuts, popcorn, fresh fruit and rice cakes in the basket. Buy candy at your local health food store or look for sustainable brands at the supermarket.
Avoid plastic toys and grass this year and replace them with sustainable materials.
Sustainable Easter Recipes
Easter Ham Photo Source: Foodista
Looking for sustainable recipes and ideas for your Easter menu. Try these websites:
The Pioneer Woman 30 Healthy Easter Recipes To Freshen Up The Spring Holiday
Our 31 Best Easter Recipes on Eating Well
35 Healthy Easter Recipes The Real Dietitians
Ambitious Kitchen Amazing Easter Recipes Everyone Will Love
Leites Culinaria Easter Recipes
Egg Hunt: Flicker/Jim Pennucci
Easter Flower: Flicker/Sean
References:
History of Easter 2024 History.com, October 27, 2019
Eggs and Bunnies, The Origins of Easter and Its Traditions, by Harry Sherrin, History Hit, April 13, 2022
Going Green at Easter How to Celebrate Sustainably, Greener Ideal, May 9, 2022
Ten Friendly Easter Ideas, by Eric, The Sustainable Living Guide, March 28, 2022
How to Have A Sustainable Easter, by Dawn Cowles, Sustainable Jungle, March 2024
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